Improvement in bale-ties



JOHN-L. SHEPPARD.

Improvement in Bale Ties.

Patented Au 22,1a71.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

lMPROVEMENT IN BALE-TIES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 118,286, dated August22, 1871.

saidinvention consists in the peculiar construc tion of the tie, soformed with a lip or tongue of iron covering the place of entrance ofthe hoop or band that it is impossible for it to become dis engagedthrough any accident arising from sudden relaxation of the bands due tothe rough handling to which bales of cotton are always subjected inshipping.

The tie is constructed as follows: Take a piece of flat wrought-iron, ofsquare or nearly square form, and from one-sixth to oneeighth of an inchin thickness, as may be required, of breadth a little more than doublethat of the band employed. At the distance of about one-fourth ofan inchfi-om one of the sides, and at equal distances from the two adjacentsides, a rectangular hole is out about one-third of an inch on theshorter side and extending back in direction parallel to the adjacentsides to a distance sufficient to admit the band or tie easily. Now, incontinuation of that short side of this rectangle which lies parallel toand adjacent to the nearest side of the piece itself, a slit is outthrough the iron to one of the sides of the piece itself, leaving anarrow lip on one side of the slit and a broad lip on the other side,thelatter ofwhich is intended to receive the strain of the band, and theformer or smaller lip acts to prevent the tie from disengaging, the loopon the end of the hoop striking square against it. To facilitateinserting the second loop after the tie has been hooked into the firstloop, the opening along this slit is enlarged by beveling off theopposite edges of the two lips so as to admit of sliding the band in byturning the tie slightly or twisting the band a little to effect thesame purpose; or the opening may be enlarged by bending the smaller lipeither up or down, or by bending the larger lip at the end either up ordown, or by bending both a little in opposite directions.

Figure l in the drawing represents a plan with elevations along three ofthe sides, A representing the smaller lip; 13, the larger lip; O, themet angular opening; (I c, the slit or opening through which the secondloop is slipped. X is the corner of the larger lip, which, when thelarge lip is bent down or up at the end, is rounded off so as to avoidreceiving the strain of the band, as it would otherwise do, and throwingthis strain back upon the shank of the large lip, where it should be.

Fig. 2 is an isometrical projection of the tie in use, H representingthe bands, the ends of which are fastened together by this tie.

Fig. 3 represents a cotton-bale, showing these ties at F.

We specify as advantages possessed by this tie over all others: First,simplicity. Second, reliability. Third, great strength. appliance.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent-.

The bale-tie herein described, having the curved lips A and B,rectangular slot 0, and transverse slit (1 c, constructed and arrangedsubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

The above specification of my invention signed by me this 17thday ofJuly, 1871.

J. L. SHEPPARD.

Witnesses:

J. W. MOORE, M. M. MOXWELL.

Fourth, ease of

